Waterproof pilot lamp



Feb. 26, 1952 SCULTHORPE 2,586,869

WATERPROOF PILOT LAMP Filed Aug. 50, 1950 WIENEIIL L I lllll g 26 FIG. I

24 INVENTOR. A RAYMOND SCULTHORPE FIG. 2

W m Qfl a/m wg Patented Feb. 26, 1952 WATERPROOF PILOT LAMP Raymond Sculthorpe, Oceanport, N. J., assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army Application August 30, 1950,Serial N 0. 182,386

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April-30, 1928; 3700.- G. 757) 7 Claims;

The invention describedhereinmay. he manufactured' and .used by, or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment o'ftanyroyalty thereon.

This invention. relates to a light assembly, and more particularly to awaterproof pilot light assembly, the intensity .of light therethru beingeasily adjustable.

In the general commercial use of pilot light assemblies-to give a visualindication of the operativeness ofyarious types of electronic equipment;such as a pilot light located on the outside panel of a radio receiveror transmitter, no prob lem of waterproofing presents itself inasmuch assuch equipment is usually located within a buildingor structure whichadequately protects the equipment from the atmospheric elements.

However, if such equipment is used for military purposes, as in movingvehicles or in field use, such electronic equipment is constantlyexposed to the atmosphere. Complete waterproofing of the equipment thenbecomes an all important consideration for the eiiicient functioning ofthe apparatus at all times. It is also desirable for reasons of militarysecurity for such visual indicating means to be easily. and readilyvariable in the light intensities projected therethru.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention toprovideimproved-waterproofing means for a pilot light assembly.

It is a further object of this invention to pro vide a waterproof pilotlight assembly with a hood having openings thru which light is projectedand means for varying the intensity of the light transmitted.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings; whereinapreferred embodiment of the perfected invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings Fig. l is a side view of the pilot light assembly,onehalf being shown in elevation, and the other half being shown incross'section.

Fig. 2 is arr-exploded view of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3a and 3b are top views showing two positions of the lightintensity varying'means.

Referring to'the drawings, the assembly comprises a light tube Icomposed of brass, aluminum or similar material is hollowed out toprovide a light passageway II, which terminates at the solid outwardlyflanged end I3. The solid or closed end I3 is then provided with twosmall light apertures l5 disposed around the central axis of light tubeID, thus providing for the transmission of light from the threaded end Hof tube I9 thru the solid end I3; Fitted over the flanged or closed endIt of light tube I0 is'a knurled hood 'or cup-shaped shutter part I2 having a running fit so as to be easily rotatable about the axis of tubeID; The knurled hood I2 is held in position on end I3 by slot It in theoutside rim of hood I2, and retaining pin I6. Attached to one end of theopen portion of hood 8? is a lens of plastic material I8 or any, othersuitable transparent or translucent material. The'lens I8 is firmly heldin place by the edges of hood I2.

Adjacent to the inner surface of lens I8 is a shutter which comprises asolid opaque'disc 29' disposed within the passageway provided by hood I2and formed as an integral part therewith. Disc 25 is also provided withtwo light apertures 22 similar in size and arrangement tolight aperturesI5. Fig-3a shows the position of disc 20 with passageways 22 completelyout of visual alignment with passageways I5, thus preventing any lightfrom being transmitted thru the pilot light assembly. To permit light totravel thru the assembly, knurled hood 2B is rotated in acounter-clockwise direction so as to bring passageways 22 into anydegree of alignment with passageways I5. It is understood that aperturesI5 and 22 need not be limited to W10 holes, but may be any desirednumbereccentrically spaced about the central vertical axis of tube II). Sloti4 is of sufijcient length to allow hood I2 to 1'0- tate to bring thepassageways I5 and 22 either completely in or completely out ofalignment with each other.

The assembly is made waterproof in the following manner: Asolidtransparent plastic disc 24 is-disposedv withinlight tunnel I6flush with solid end I3 as shown in Fig. l, the edges of disc 24' beinghermetically sealed to the inner walls of tube It Flanged portion I3 isundercut circumferentially 360, and a rubber grommet orring 28 isinserted into undercut 25 making a snug fit therewith. The assembly isthen threadably secured to panel board 35, and ring 28 is compressedagainst the outer surface of panel board 30 thus insuring a Waterproofjoint between the assembly and the panel board. Any moisture or waterwhich. may enter the assembly thru the joints where the lens I8 isattached to hood I2 or thru the running fit of hood I2 to tube It iseffectively prevented from entering the tube It by the water impervioustransparent plastic disc 24 which is sealed to the inner wall of tubeIll. The outer end of flange I3 is provided with groove 32 into whichspring 34 is inserted to retain it in any adjusted position underconditions of 3. vibration which might cause accidental turning due tothe running fit of hood l2 with tube l0. Light source 38 can be anysource situated within an apparatus to which tube IE3 is to be attached.

A pilot light assembly constructed according to the invention describedabove has been successfully tested by submersion in six feet of waterfor one hour at room temperature, no measurable leakage of water thruthe assembly having been detected. Although the invention has beendescribed in its particular embodiment as a pilot light assembly, itwill be readily apparent that the invention is equally applicable to anylight projection system such as a flashlight. Other obviousmodifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A waterproof light projection assembly comprising a body part havinga first end portion shaped for insertion into a light source, said bodypart being hollow for the transmission of said light, a second endportion of said body part having a first opaque closure, said firstclosure having at least one light passageway therethru, a hood rotatablymounted on each second end portion, said hood having a translucentclosure at its outer end, a second opaque closure disposed within saidhood, said second opaque closure having at least one light passagewaytherethru, said light passageways being positioned relatively to eachother so that they are brought into and out of axial alignment by therotation of said hood, translucent means disposed between said secondend portion and said hollow portion, said translucent means being sealedto the inner walls of said hollow portion to prevent the seepage ofwater therethru, and means disposed about said first end portion toconstitute a waterproof seal between said body part and said lightsource.

2. In a Waterproof light projection assembly, as described in claim 1,wherein said translucent means comprises a water impervious plasticdisc.

3. In a waterproof light projection assembly as described in claim 1,wherein said last mentioned means comprises a rubber gasket compressablyfitted around the outer walls of said first end portion.

4. In a Waterproof pilot light, a hollow body part closed at one endthereof and open at the other end, said part being provided with anaperture through the closed end thereof and disposed eccentrically withrespect to the longitudinal axis of said part, a shutter part fitted tosaid closed end and rotatable relatively with respect to said body partand about said axis, said shutter part being provided with an aperturesubstantially complementary with respect to said first-named aperture inboth size and disposition, means holding said parts against movementwith respect to each other in the direction along said axis whilepermitting said relative rotary movement, and translucent means disposedwithin said body part and sealed thereto over said first-named aperture.

5. In a dimmer device for a light source, a hollow body part closed atone end thereof and open at the other end, said part being provided withan aperture through the closed end thereof .4 and disposed eccentrlcallywith respect to the longitudinal axis of said part, a cup-shaped shutterpart fitted over said closed end and rotatable relatively with respectto said body part and about said axis, said shutter part being providedwith an aperture substantially complementary with respect to saidfirst-named aperture in both size and disposition, said shutter part inthe wall structure thereof being provided with a slot, a pin fixed insaid body part and extending into and having a sliding fit in said slotthereby to hold said parts against movement with respect to each otherin the direction along said axis while permitting said relative rotarymovement, and translucent means disposed within said body part andsealed thereto over said first-named aperture.

6. In a dimmer device for a light source, a hollow body part closed atone end thereof and open at the other end, said part being provided withan aperture through the closed end thereof and disposed eccentricallywith respect to the longitudinal axis of said part, a cup-shaped shutterpart fitted over said closed end and rotatable relatively with respectto said body part and about said axis, said shutter part being providedwith an aperture substantially complementary with respect to saidfirst-named aperture in both size and disposition, said shutter part inthe wall structure thereof being provided with a slot, a pin fixed insaid body part and extending into and having a sliding fit in said slotthereby to hold said parts against movement with respect to each otherin the direction along said axis while permitting said relative rotarymovement, said body part in the closed end thereof being provided with agroove, and a ring of spring-like material disposed in said groove andcompressed bet veen said closed end and the adjacent face of saidshutter part.

7. In a dimmer device for a light source, a hollow body part closed atone end thereof and open at the other end, said part being provided withan aperture through the closed end thereof and disposed eccentricallywith respect to the longitudinal axis of said part, a cup-shaped shutterpart fitted over said closed end and rotatable relatively with respectto said body part and about said axis, said shutter part being providedwith an aperture substantially complementary with respect to saidfirst-named aperture in both size and disposition, and translucent meansdisposed within said body part and sealed thereto over said first-namedaperture.

RAYMOND SCULTHORPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,729,080 Miessner Sept. 24, 19291,997,471 Schwarze Apr. 9, 1935 2,371,080 Trautner Mar. 6, 19452,405,809 Berejkoff Aug. 13, 1946 2,474,677 Kirkland Jan. 28, 1949

